Pet Forum / Aquaria / Cichlids / April 2005

> pcontour wrote:-
> One of my 5 females has developed black spots, I am wondering if thi
> is
> a disease and if so what should be done about it.  Sorry I am unabl
> to
> add a picture at this time, because the forum is not working.  The
> spots are numerous, and not in any pattern. Is this a normal
> occurrence? if you can add a picture I will be able to say if it is
> similar or not.-
> is this fish caught in the wild?
>
> spots such as: http://www.malawicarsten.dk/img/upload/DSC00080.jpg ?
>
> Directly translated from http://www.malawicarsten.dk/ 's website (h
> had
> no english version of the related article):
>
> This is usually flatworms of the Metaceraria type.
> This type of flatworm uses snails as the first host, and when eaten b
> a
> fish, it's used as an intermediate host, when the fish is eaten by a
> bird, the cycle starts over.
>
> Size ranging from 1-3mm.
> They usually live in the skin, eyes, muscles and inner organs of the
> fish. Often the fish affected seem skinny and have darker colors than
> usual as a side effect.
>
> If the infection isn't massive, they do usually doesn't hurt the fish
> and will fall off after a while (seeing as they can't complete th
> cycle).
> If the fish however, is weakened by stress or similar, the flatworms
> might break out of their `holsters', adding chance of other types of
> infections in the wounds.
>
> normally it shouldn't be necesarry to treat the fishes, but Exrapi
> have
> shown itself to be efficient. When treating with Exrapid, it should be
> repeated atleast 5 times before results start to show.
> Beond that, mixing Niclosamide and Praziquantel in their diet shoul
> do
> the trick as well.
>
> Mind you - this is not -my- words, nor my experience, I have none
> whatsoever with this. I merely recognized it, having read his article
> before and figured you might find it interresting.
>
> having said that, I'd deem it unlikely (though not impossible) tha
> this
> is the case if they're not caught in the wild, or that you'v
> introduced
> something else from the outside world lately, as the flatworm
> shouldn't
> be capable of cycling without birds in the loop.
>
> hth
>
> /Tommi